Most Leave Alive
by RossZ
Summary: Naruto planned on turning himself in. It was never a matter of if, only a matter of when. He had to bring Sasuke back from the darkness first. And help him find a way back home.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Alright, so this is a short prequel to a bigger story I have planned. I hope you enjoy it.

Korra is stronger here. Sorry if that isn't your cup of tea.

Not beta'd. There will be mistakes.

"Normal Speech"

_'Human thoughts.'_

_"Inner... Voices?"_

**"Bijuu Speaking"  
**

_**'Bijuu thoughts'**_

* * *

_"__He'll be your doom, retrieve him!" _The voice came from deep inside her, ringing inside her ear like her thoughts - stern and forceful. Korra screamed, filling her screech with a wave of firebending. The move took her opponent by surprise, and he recoiled - barely avoiding getting licked by the flames. She launched herself at the opening, grabbing his arms and flipping him over her - crouching on top of him as soon as his back hit the snow. A heavy breath escaped her lips.

Hands on his throat, she glared at him - her blue eyes meeting his own. Her grip tightened around his neck - he gasped. Korra hadn't known what happened next till her own back was on the ground again, pain shooting through her from it and air leaving her. She choked. A crack buckled the ground underneath her, and her stomach dropped. A huff of annoyance left his lips.

The world exploded in a flurry of white and black, frosty and suffocating. Korra thrashed, flailing and kicking.

_"Stop panicking!" _The voice boomed the loudest it ever has this time. But the advice fell on deaf ears. The current pulled Korra down, forcing her deeper into the cold water. Her back hit something sharp, and she nearly released the breath her subconscious had been holding for her in her panic. He was nowhere in sight, and the hole they had broken through grew smaller and smaller.

A steady hand suddenly tightened around her wrist. Korra whirled, forcing a kicking through the water. Korra's boot collided with something solid, but softer than the rocks beneath her. The hand released her. Calming, she thrust out her arms, turning in the water to wander the darkness for her enemy. All she could see was bubbles and dancing streaks of silver. She drove her foot into the base of the river and launched herself upwards.

Her fist collided with another icy sheet atop the water. It was thicker, much thicker than where they had gone under from. Another wave of panic approached. She pounded her fists on it, a scream leaving her throat. She tried to will some fire to emerge from her fist, but it shimmered into nothingness around her knuckles.

_"Move!"_ The voice screamed even louder than before. Korra calmed a bit, but quickly averted her gaze back to the base of the body of water at the sight of rising bubbles beneath her, and growing heat that slowly covered her from toe to head. A powerful, large orange ball approached her - seeming to cover a large part of the water beneath her, and boiling the water it came into direct contact to, _"Move, or you'll die!"_

Korra barely managed to avoid it and thrust herself past the edge of its vicinity. It exploded past the thick sheet of ice she had struggled with like tissue paper, the explosion upon impact sending shock waves through the water and nearly making her lose her balance underneath. She wasted no time, waterbending herself forward and heading towards the new hole.

_"Get him..."_ The voice seemed unsure this time, the words coming out as more a suggestion than an actual command. Korra choked, she was so close - her lungs burned, _"Get him!"_ It screamed, more confident this time. She twisted - inches from the surface - looking down once again. She noticed him. He was drifting, close to her - blooding further darkening the water around him.

_'Spirits,' _She wanted to leave him, but she couldn't just let him die. Her title forbade it. Korra kicked herself down to the darkened area, her hand gripping around his forearm. She felt his fist suddenly clench, and he tried to pull away, but she dug her fingernails. Every muscle in her body burned now. Using every ounce of her remaining strength, she pushed them forward - even with her head becoming foggy.

Her head broke through the thin sheet that begun to form again after the water had cool, inhaling a lungful of oxygen. Quickly, she pulled his body up onto the ice beside her. She sighed in relief when he gasped as well.

"We -" He coughed up some water, and for a few moments - he remained silent, as did she - both of them struggling to fill their lungs with oxygen. It was a wonder he'd managed to speak as soon she got him out. Korra didn't know how long they had been coughing up water when she suddenly felt two warm, strong arms slide beneath her. She recoiled and tried to twist away immediately.

"What are you-"

"Getting us to safety," He'd interrupted her, stifling a scream as pain shot through his right shoulder, "The surface here will buckle again. And we'll be under," Korra wanted to argue, but she felt too tired to struggle. Her muscles had already begun relaxing when he picked her up bridal style. Her head was tucked in his chest, and she nearly frowned. The heat he emitted was unnaturally hot, considering what they had just been through.

A feeling of weightlessness suddenly enveloped her, but it was over before she could enjoy feeling it gave her muscles. He dropped her by the riverbank and fell to one knee next to her. Korra's eyelid grew heavy. As much as she wanted to keep cautious - her strength left her.

The cold closed around her, and the last thing she saw was a drop of red landing on the snow in front of her face.

* * *

Naruto carried her body on his good shoulder. His right one was dislocated, and he hadn't the faintest idea on how to relocate it himself. Though, he knew the longer he waited, the harder it would be for it to be put back into place. There was also a deep gash on his left thigh that made movement difficult - he'd removed the long bandage fastened under his shuriken holster on his right leg to stop the excessive bleeding.

Naruto cut it in half first, intending to use the rest of it later when he swapped out the one currently trying to stop the blood. He also put the holster over the wound on the bleeding leg, tightening it to lessen the blood flow. There was also a cut on his forehead, one that could've been a lot worse had he note pushed himself off the base of a sharp rock.

He didn't know where they were going precisely if he was earnest. Their battle had dragged them kilometres from their initial positions, and any directional evidence was likely covered by snow at this point. He didn't limp aimlessly, however. There was a cave some distance away from the river, anyone else would've missed it, but he always made sure to understand his surroundings whenever engaging in a battle.

"Aww, man," He grunted. Korra grew heavier with each step he took, and the cold made things worse. It was a wonder how someone could sleep through this weather. Though, maybe she was better suited for these conditions. She had her fur-lined blue garb on. He only adorned his regular orange clothing. Perhaps, it was just exhaustion. Even he couldn't say how long they'd gone at it for.

The avatar on her own wasn't anything special. An easy win for him, he thought, if they had fought without her accessing her extended powers. But when she entered the avatar state, as he'd heard her deem it, fights became an entirely different story. Her taijutsu skill skyrocketed - a ninja connected to one of her predecessors he was sure, Sasuke and him weren't the first here. Her bending prowess increased as well. To the point were where he'd admit she had the slightest edge.

Naruto nearly screamed when he found the cave entrance covered by snow. He felt week, and he imagined himself sleeping as Korra was more times than he could count. But he knew death awaited him if he didn't find sort of shelter soon, considering the impending storm approaching. Dropping her carelessly to the ground, he raised his only good hand - his fingers forming a half-ox seal.

Inhaling deeply, he held the air until his lungs burned. It took longer to shape his chakra with the air when he did it with one hand. Upon releasing his breath, a powerful gust of wind blew the snow from the entrance. He held Korra by the hems of her upper clothing, unwilling to go through the pain of picking her up as he had before. Thoughts of closing the entrance with earth left his mind just as they came.

The temperature wouldn't be any better here. Naruto realised that after he had dropped her body to the floor. He slumped back against the frosted stump of a dead tree that was inside the cave, shutting his eyes as his muscles relaxed. The cut on his forehead had frosted, stopping the bloody for leaking - but a headache was coming on. A growl escaped his lips.

He needed to close the entrance and get a fire going.

Screaming freely at the pain from his shoulder, he raised both his hands and formed a tiger seal, which turned into a hare, boar before finally his hands formed a dog. The earth rumbled as a wall shut the cave entrance, blocking the snow from continuing to freeze into the cave. Korra stirred at that.

"Hey," Naruto called, trying to bring her back ultimately. That was the last of his chakra gone, but he forced himself to remain awake. The cave was still cold, and they needed heat. Him more than her, "Hey, uh... Damn," He shifted his injured leg, "Korra!"

Her eyelids parted at the shout of her name. Her near blue lips parting to mutter, "N-Naruto?" She immediately shifted away from him as recognition overcame her. He didn't blame her.

"A fire... Please," He pleaded, "I wouldn't bother you unless... Damn it!" He shifted his body, "No... No, fix my shoulder first. I wouldn't bother you unless I needed to. I know you don't exactly like me..." She regarded him for a long moment, a judging and disgusted expression on her face. He sighed when she struggled to get up, her face white from pain and clutching her head for a moment.

But, she did not approach him. Korra only gathered the few branches around the cave and close to them. Making no sound as she picked up each one, even though the pain was visible on her features. Her eyes were closed when she had called on all of her remaining strength to light up the sticks. Naruto thought she would pass out and leave him in his pain when the fire was going. The avatar had fallen to the floor but picked herself as soon as she did and forced herself to him.

"Wait, wait, let me pre- Ahhh!" She popped his shoulder into place, giving him no countdown as Sakura had done the few times he had dislocated a joint, "Geez... Thanks," he muttered, but weight pressing on the newly fix arm made her turn to her. Korra had fallen asleep again, crouched and face flat on his upper arm. She was sick, he acknowledged.

Using his good arm, he grabbed the hem of her clothing again and forced himself up on one foot. He pulled her closer to the heat of flames. He settled back onto the stump.

They were in trouble. His rations weren't going to last long between the two of them. And they were going to run out of branches eventually. He was hurt, and Korra was sick. Naruto was quite sure he too was going to get sick at a certain point. There had to be a limit to how much the nine-tails chakra could protect from that, and at this point, he most certainly must've passed it.

"Man..." He whispered, his eyelids growing heavy. No, he wasn't going to die. That much was clear as day in his head. Not until he gave the people here justice from what he had done, became Hokage and brought Sasuke back.

All challenges he continued to accept.

* * *

A/N: That's the first one done. Again, it won't be a long story.

Thanks for reading.

Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Not beta'd. There will be mistakes.**

"Normal Speech"

_'Human thoughts.'_

_"Inner... Voices?"_

**"Bijuu Speaking"  
**

_**'Bijuu thoughts'**_

* * *

_It was dark red, nearly black and stood on all fours - a skeletal structure covering its back and face, with six tails swaying gracefully behind it. A nightmarish appearance, one that she knew would remain deeply embedded into her subconscious - serving as a reminder of her greatest failure as the Avatar..._

* * *

Korra's head felt worse than it had when Amon had rid her of her bending - a fact that had seemed impossible at the time. She tried to sit up, and a groan escaped her lips before she could stifle it.

"Careful there," The voice made her sit up faster. Her head swam in excruciating pain, and she winced, pressing her palm against her forehead. She slipped her eyes past the cracks between each finger, her stomach tightening of Naruto, seated next to the stump of a tree, using it as support for his back, "Uh, sorry. You should really be careful. You're pretty sick."

"You," She croaked, her voice dry. She struggled to remember much of what had happened. Only vague memories of the occurrences appearing in her head. She shut her eyes, trying to clear her head, "W- What are you doing here?"

Naruto shrugged with one shoulder, "I was about to change the bandage on my thigh."

Korra's head hurt. Pushing herself up onto one elbow, she looked around. The fire she faintly remembered starting flickered around the circular - rocky - tunnel that was their shelter. She became aware of how her clothing stuck to her body. Slow, curling steam rose off her fur leggings in the heat of the fire. She turned to her enemy, his orange pants and jacket were a darker shade than they usually were.

"You," She repeated, trying to throw a glare his way, but she couldn't pull the expression across her tired face, "I... hate you. Why didn't you just-"

"Leave you there?" He scratched an itch in his eye, "You would've frozen to death."

"Don't act like death is a foreign concept to you, After what you've-"

"I'd like not to be reminded of that."

"I'm sure," Korra managed a scowl this time, "You aren't the first of your kind I've encountered and fought. Monsters like you, they show up frequently - preying on the weak and helpless, acting as if they've done nothing wrong. Were you waiting for a moment of vulnerability from me? Is that why came to me when the Red Lotus kidnapped me?"

A hurt looked flashed onto his features when she called him a monster, but it contorted into one of annoyance, "I saw you being taken forcefully, and I came to help you."

"Right," She laughed drily, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire."

Hot air pushed out of his nose, and it curled in the cold atmosphere. Naruto, seemingly ignoring her, reached to stir the fire with a groan, sending sparks into the air and towards the small unclosed line above the slab he put up to protect them from the cold. Korra continued to stare at him with anger, but the more her irritation left her - the more pain she felt.

"I take it you killed them? The 'monsters' you've fought before?"

And just like that, her anger came flooding back, "What?" She snapped, "You think I'd stoop that _low_ \- to _your_ level? I've never killed anyone in my life."

Naruto scowled, "My level," he murmured, "Sorry if I got the wrong idea when you held a mountain over my head when you forced our fight after I saved you. I assumed you did that to every 'monster' you encountered. And, so you know, _I've_ never _truly _killed anyone either."

"Lie!" She shouted, temporarily clutching her head when the pain got worse, "I was there that day. You know I was. But you still blatantly lie."

His eyes narrowed at her, but he remained quiet. She sat in the silence for a moment; her eyes still set on him. Her gaze flickered to the red lines on his face, and towards the red bandage around his thigh. A frown formed on her lips, the River had caused it - or more specifically, the stones on the river bed. Though, the lack of air must've been what took him out of it for those moments he had floated before she saved him, when the voice had told her to save him, her enemy, from the river. And she obeyed it...

A shiver ran through her. She sat fires length away from her greatest enemy, the cause of her greatest failure... and she'd saved his life. A wave of nausea curled through her stomach. Why had she done it? What had come over her? If she'd let him drown, she would have given all those families he'd split up some form of closure.

_"If you'd let him drown, you'd be lying frozen on the riverbank," _The voice at the back of her head again. She turned to her side, drawing her knees up to her chest. Another shiver slid through her, this time encouraged by the cold. She fought to contain her chattering teeth. She wished naga was here; the polar-dogs warmth would be a welcome relief to the numbing cold.

The silence stretched. For a long moment, only the crackling of the fire echoed through the cave. Korra gulped, hating herself for her need to break the quiet.

"That thing... The monster with six tails, was that really you?" She glanced across the fire where he still sat next to the stump of a tree. For a moment, she thought he wasn't going to answer. Then, slightly, he raised his head.

"Yes."

"Then why say you haven't truly killed anyone? What you did-"

"Just... Leave it," His hand gripped and curled the fabric of his jacket on his stomach.

Korra blinked, she could've sworn she heard his voice crack, but then she frowned, "You aren't from the Earth Kingdom, are you?" This time, he didn't answer - only continuing to stare at the flames. She noticed his eyes, "Water tribe?... No, news of someone like you would spread like wildfire. Fire Nation?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Fine, whatever. Just sit there and sulk for all I care. I was trying to make conversation," She rolled over to her other side, her back to the flames. She felt the heat soak through her clothes, soothing the still sore muscles. She let out a sigh. Why had she even bothered? Making conversation with her enemy, trying to civil. She wrapped her arms around herself, her muscles trembling as the cold nipped her skin.

She couldn't remember ever being this cold. Not even at her home in the Southern Water Tribe, where she'd been surrounded by snow and ice at every corner. She'd lost all her resistance of cold since coming to Republic city. Once she got back, she would visit the South to get herself reaccustomed to the cold. She wouldn't allow something like this to happen again.

A dark thought went through Korra's mind. _If _she got back, no, she shouldn't think like that. She'd recover her strength, then part ways with her enemy and find her way through the mountains and snow. Nothing would please her more than bringing him in, but he's shown that he wouldn't come willingly. And she didn't want to be back in the same situation should they engage each other like that.

Korra doubted she was in the state to fight him should one break out. But then again, he hardly looked in top form. She'd seen the blood on his thigh, heard the pitch of his breathing, the sound of someone in pain. She hoped the two of them would be able to merely separate. Postponing their fight to another time and place. Korra drew her arms more tightly around herself. The shiver had taken over, and it was all she could do not to chatter like a frozen squirrel-monkey.

"You'd dry faster if you removed your wet clothes."

The voice made her breath pitch. Turning over, Korra pushed herself upright and glared, mouth agape, at the boy across the fire.

"Why would I do that?

His head tilted slightly, his eyes meeting hers, "Uh... Like I said, to dry faster," Korra's glare intensified, then her gaze against her will fell. She realised he had removed his jacket, his black shirt - which he had been wearing underneath the jack apparently, and laid them out flat by the fire. She didn't hear him even take his clothes off.

He wore only his orange pants, leaving his athletic build and fair skin exposed. His attention away from her now, he sat on top of the stump and fumbled with his bandage - his hands shook from the cold, and it seemed to make the process slower for him.

Korra jerked her eyes away, colour warming her face when she realised she had been staring. Giving no retort, she turned her back on the fire again - trying to think of anything but the cold. She attempted to formulate a plan on how she could bring him down when she felt better if she decided to do it against her better judgement. His leg would be his weak spot - she had to target it, but the injury would also make him slower and limit his movement - a targeted jab could bring him down. However cruel it was.

The cold got worse the more time passed, and it wrapped its icy arms around her. Gritting her teeth, she sat up and took off her waterlogged boots. She turned to him, expecting some sort of satisfied expression - but his attention was still to the bandage, which had stuck to the wound - a gash that made her wince, and he struggled to pull it out, _'Stop being so childish...' _Korra thought to her self, pulling her parka over her head and laying it near the fire.

She pulled her sleeves off as well, and her asymmetrical top - leaving her only with her fur leggings and sports bra. Sho moved closet to the fire after laying her clothing near it. As it was, she'd never been this exposed to a boy before, but she pushed any thoughts of embarrassment from her mind. It didn't matter — the basic desire to get warm trumped anything else.

The fire worked better now, seeking into her pores and warming her. She found herself relaxing, her headaches subsiding slightly but still reasonably painful. The feeling of tiredness overtook her again. Korra curled up on the ground, facing the flames. The cold still washed over her back, and she wished she could inch closer to the fire, but that would bring her closer to him. Her body still trembled.

Korra blinked. Where had he gone?... Her eyes darted to the outskirts of the area surrounding the fire, but he wasn't anywhere around. How did he do that? She had been staring at his direction, but she was no movement and heard no sound.

Then, without warning, the cold disappeared. A sudden warmth at her back made her stiffen. She turned to him. To _him. _Sliding to the ground beside her, propping himself up with an elbow

"What do you think-"

"Relax. I'm not like that," he said calmly, "I have a stronger immunity to the cold. You don't. You'll go into hypo... hypo... Ah, you'll turn into a popsicle."

She bit her lip. He was warm, much warmer than she was, and his body was warding off the chill. Sighing, she relented, "Alright. But any funny business -"

"Hey, like said, I'm not like that. Especially towards old women," he smiled near the end of the sentence. Korra kept a straight face, but that only seemed to encourage him - his smile grew to a grin, before turning into a full-blown laugh. One that made her frown. Of all the peoples she's faced, no one had ever attempted humour. Well, lighthearted banter. Admittedly, his laugh was... nice.

"What are you, like six?" She found herself asking.

"Sixteen."

"Than you're an idiot."

"For speaking the truth?"

"I'm not old," She looked at him, an annoyed expression adorning her features, "I'm only eighteen."

"Geez, two whole years. You're pretty old to me."

Korra's eyebrows furrowed. What was wrong with him? He had dismissed her attempts to be civil moments ago, but now he wanted to speak with her? And even make jokes?

"...I'm gonna get some rest. I kept the fire going for you for some time. I need a bit of time to sleep."

"...Right, " Was Korra's slow response. It didn't matter – people like him usually had something wrong with. Something that made them do the things they did. She relaxed, closing her eyes and trying to focus on the heat of the fire again - calling to her exhaustion. As he drifted into darkness, a thought crept into her mind.

_'He kept the fire going for me?...'_

* * *

**A/N: That's the second chapter. Again, it won't be a long story.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Not beta'd. There will be mistakes.**

"Normal Speech"

_'Human thoughts.'_

_"Inner... Voices?"_

**"Bijuu Speaking"  
**

_**'Bijuu thoughts'**_

* * *

Korra woke to the soft slanting of the sun on her face through the thinly lined opening between the cave ceiling and the wall that covered its entrance. She lugged, her bare feet protesting as she stretched them outward into the cold of the morning air. She drew them to her chest, pressing back into the warmth behind her. A slow, half-conscious yawn took her mouth. Her toes brushed against something smooth or sleek. Skin. Someone else's skin.

She frowned, and slowly, barely, opened her eyes. An arm was curled around her, warm and heavy. Korra stiffened. Her mind raced back to the events of the night before. _Him. _He had made an effort to give her warmth. Now his arm was draped over her, loosely protective. She shivered when she realised his knuckles were brushing her bare stomach. In her slumber, she had moved so that her back was flush with his front - their frames fitting smoothly together.

She could feel his breath along the back of her neck - which encouraged a strange fluttering sensation in her stomach, sending goosebumps along her arms. Suddenly, to her surprise, she felt him stiffen as well - his hand moving from her stomach to her mouth and covering it completely, his other coming to her torso and tightening around her. A muffled gasp escaped her lips, and she tried to struggle.

For a moment, everything was near silent - her struggles the only thing filling the cave with echoes. Korra bit on his hand, and she heard him suppress a grunt, but his hand still covered her mouth.

"Stop," he whispered into her ear, sending another shiver through her spine. She felt his head turn and swiftly, silent; he leapt off the ground - a feeling of weightlessness enveloping her. Still struggling and in panic, she bit harder into his hand, and she began tasting a bit of blood. For a moment, she tried to see where he was taking her and why the weightless feeling persisted for this long.

Her blood rushed to her head, and her bangs swung loosely over her - and she suddenly felt dizzy. Not given a moment to dwell on her current upsidedown position, the earth set up to cover the cave entrance exploded, a pillar of bright red-orange hot lava shooting through it with ease. Korra stilled herself. She could feel his heartbeat racing against her back, and something furry brushing against her stomach.

Someone entered the cave, his feet crunching some sticks as he went through the remaining slab of rock that was her companion's wall. It was a man with long hair and a moustache, dressed in green clothing.

"Ghmm," She would've muttered his name if for the hand still covering her lips. She felt a light tug on her clothing, and she knew to keep quiet. Ghazan looked around. Fortunately, his lava had destroyed their fire - or rather, what was left of it. Korra clenched her fist, wishing she could launch a fireball at the Red Lotus member, but she doubted her ability to fight him right now, and her heart pounded faster with each passing moment.

Moments passed, the man searching the cave all the while. At some point, he bent down to where their fire used to be as if finding a clue. _ 'The clothes!' _She screamed in her head. But fortunately, he got up a second later and trudged out of the cave, his footsteps growing fainter on the still morning air until they went quiet, too sudden for it to be normal. Still, they hung until he was sure Ghazan was truly gone.

He released his hold on the ceiling, and they descended... No, they were falling. However, he'd positioned himself underneath her mid-air and took the pain when they hit the cave floor. His arms released her, and she rolled away, getting to her feet.

"Ow," he moaned as he got up, rubbing the back of his neck. Korra paid him little heed, scrambling to check for their clothing.

They were gone as if they were never there, to begin with. She whipped around to scold her "companion', to blame him for their predicament, however unfair it was. But to her surprise, he had all their apparel on him, all of it in one hand. He'd forced some of it into her boot to make it easier to hold the clothes and her. Korra felt herself relax, but her heart still pounded faster than necessary for some odd reason.

"You got them...How?" She hadn't even felt him shift behind her when Ghazan approached. He shrugged, handing Korra her gear Grateful to find them dry, she put on her parka, top and boots. She slid her sleeves on last. She glanced over to see the blond zipping his jacket up, and putting on his sandals. Though, he looked worse for wear. His face was slightly pale, and he was scowling, as if in pain - a bit of blood trickled from the hand she had a bit, "Sorry about biting you. Are you... Okay?"

"Great," Was his short answer, but it felt sarcastic. He continued, "You gonna try to take me now? You seem have gotten somewhat better, and I'm pretty weakened."

Korra frowned. Well, it was true. She did feel a bit better, and most likely could bend better than she could the night before. But he hadn't threatened her when she unwell, and even so, she wasn't at a hundred percent, "I'm not like that."

He recognised the usage of his own words, but still looked unconvinced, "Are you sure? It seemed like it was about the only thing you could mutter in your sleep. You kept on saying you were going to get me when you were strong again - when you had the advantage."

Korra flinched, "Well, I won't do anything like that. So you can relax. As long as you don't attack me, I won't be forced to reduce you to ash."

He gave her a pointed look, before chuckling lightly and she felt he was mocking her, "Sure... Though we have another problem here. We need to get the fire going again and sort out some food... I have a few rationed -," He stopped, his eyebrows furrowing as if coming to a realisation. He reached into his pouch, but a sigh left his nose as soon as his hand slid into it and he fell to the ground, "I _had_ some rationed food. Turns out the river did more than cut me and give me a slight fever. One of us will need to hunt. As much as I would like to volunteer, my head is sore, and my thigh is still pretty hurt."

Korra glared at him. She felt that he still had the food for some odd reason. Her stomach growled, and his eyes met hers steadily, "Fine, " She choked out, "I'll go hunting. You stay here."

He laughed at her, "I won't leave. I would never leave someone in these conditions... Though, I think you should wait for a bit, just in case those guys are still around," She nodded, and the blond limped around the cave, picking up all of the remaining sticks. He put a few up together but left most of them out to continue feeding the flames once they were up. He stuck out his middle and index finger and pressed them to one stick - smoke rose from it moments after.

Korra silently watched him start the fire. Him being a fire bender made sense, they could regulate their body temperatures to a moderate degree, something she never got the hang off. He must've been pretty good at it, cause even with the wall he put up to block the cave entrance, the cold was near crippling...

Korra eyes widened, before narrowing at the flames he had just set up, "Fire," She muttered, before slowly turning to the mouth of the cave, her gaze set on what remained of the wall the blond had set up, "Earth... What?" Korra tried to adopt a stoic expression when she turned back to him, but a frown found its way onto her lips. His attention wasn't on her, something she was grateful for.

_'What are you?' _She wanted to ask. But she hesitated. Korra doubted he would tell her. As _'friendly'_ as he had been so far, he seemed slightly inclined to not tell her about himself. He couldn't even tell her where he was from. Heck, she didn't even know his name. She had to be patient, questions like that would be answered when he was arrested and questioned.

What felt like hours passed in silence. But when Korra got up to leave, he said, "If you aren't back my mid-day, I'll come looking for you," She didn't acknowledge him, and moved onto to the mouth of the cave. She brought her hands up to her upper arms instinctively when she made it into the sunlight. For a second, she turned back to the cave to find him still watching her.

Suddenly overcome with an urge to get as far away from him as possible, Korra bent an ice-board beneath her legs and propelled herself forward over the snow. A smile graced her lips. Waterbending never failed to lift her spirits, no matter the situation she found herself in. She relaxed when she felt his gaze disappear with the distance she put between them.

The wind sang in her ears when she jumped over a fallen tree. Her travel was slower since she wasn't going downhill, but she didn't stop until she was sure she'd put a reasonable distance between her and the cave. Slowing, she let the ice-board melt back into the snow. Landing lightly on her feet, she crouched and looking around, taking in her surroundings.

The snow was dusted with glittering ice, causing it to crunch and crackle beneath her feet. She took a deep breath, calming her nerves. A faint swirl of nausea hit her stomach, but she shook it off. It was probably from the events of the previous day. A flicker of movement to her right caught her attention, and she carefully turned her head - so not to startle whatever animal it was.

An artic rabbit-fox shuffled over the snow, slipping along like a shadow. Korra licked her lips. She hadn't had rabbit-fox since her time in the white lotus compound. She slowly raised her tingling arms high, preparing to strike out an ice blade and severe the creature before it could feel any pain. It stiffened, rising to its haunches to sniff the air with a quivering nose.

Korra released the energy built up inside of her, but instead of the flawless execution she expected, her waterbending crumpled backwards on itself, drenching her. She cried out in shock and pain, dropping to her knees. Her stomach clenched - painful knots and cramps charging through her muscles. She gasped, doubling over. Eerily, she heard the rabbit-fox scrambling away.

What was wrong with her? Had she been injured deeper than she'd imagined when the ice river had collapsed? The world spun in a haze of snow. Korra staggered to one foot, pushing herself back to an upright position. She took a shaky step forward and cried out when the world tipped - her head hitting the snow with an icy crunch — slow pinpricks of white dance before her vision.

"Help me..." She whispered though she wasn't sure to who.

* * *

Naruto sat with his right leg raised to his chest, the other laid flat on the ground. His right hand was lazily placed on his heightened knee, and his left was nestled soft on his left thigh. His eyes were closed, and passive expression plastered on his face. It didn't hurt as much when he laid his thigh flat like this, but that was the last thing on his mind.

She'd been gone for some time now; it was nearly sunset. He knew letting her go off to hunt when she was just feeling better wasn't the best idea. His fever was almost broken already. They should've just waited it out, for him to lose the illness and go seeking food. As painful as the gash on his thigh was, he'd have to tolerate it - rather that than starving to death. Now she might unconscious somewhere, being munched on by some odd creature that was some strange combination of animals.

His eyes snapped open, his pupils the form of horizontal toad-slats, "Damn."

The world curled into a blur of motion, the trees outside curving as if to the touch the ground. Her ice-board trail was easy to follow, and he didn't need to focus on her natural signature. She didn't try to conceal her path. If those guys were still around, they'd find her without a problem. The blond shook his head. He didn't claim to be a genius - he was the contrary honestly - but he'd be smart enough to hide any tracks he made.

He encountered a hill of shattered ice shards and frowned. They didn't look like they'd made contact with anything since there was no blood on their points. Looking over them, he saw her. She lay curled and shivering on her side in the snow. Her dark hair was plastered again, her forehead, and her eyes writhed beneath the lids. Her breathing came in ragged pants, and her forehead shone with sweat. Her fever was worse; he could feel from here - her appearance on solidified his thought process.

Korra whimpered in her unconsciousness, and Naruto felt his heart clench. He remembered the feel of her in his arms as if she'd fit so naturally there. The way the firelight played across her face — the warmth of her body, and her heartbeat against his ribs.

Shaking his head, he rid himself of those thoughts. They'd been recurring since the morning when he felt the man approaching, and when they'd hung upside down - they didn't belong in this situation. He bent down - ignoring the sharp, rippling pain that came from his thigh - and scooped her into his arms. She murmured a little at his touch, then turned and buried her face into his jacket, curling her fingers into the fabric.

Naruto turned and made for the cave. Though, slower than he came. Moving that fast wouldn't bode well for her well being, or even his really - his legs complaints grew worse with the added weight. It was healing, but the extensive usage would cripple his progress. But it was necessary, Naruto reason, keeping his pace towards the cave. The Avatar nestled securely in his arms.

* * *

**A/N: That's the third chapter. **

**Thanks for reading.**

**Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Not beta'd. There will be mistakes.**

"Normal Speech"

_'Human thoughts.'_

_"Inner... Voices?"_

**"Bijuu Speaking"  
**

_**'Bijuu thoughts'**_

* * *

Korra's fever did not break for two days. Naruto kept her near the fire, and he had removed her wet parka and swapped it out for his jacket when he had brought her back. Though he put the parka over his jack when it had dried. That morning, Naruto left her to catch something to eat - he found something that looked like a combination of a fox and a rabbit, and he spent the whole way back trying to figure out what it could possibly be called.

Korra remained motionless beside the flames, occasionally tossing and turning, moaning in her fitful sleep. Sweat glistened on her brow and across her upper lip. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. Sometimes, he caught the whispered names of "Tenzin" or "Mako". He knew who Tenzin was, but was at a loss for whoever "Mako" was.

The predicament was, in her weakened and unconscious state, she wouldn't accept any food. He considered force feeding her, but he was worried she might choke herself to death before she got any into her stomach. Naruto knew he had to wait until she recovered. He hoped it would be soon, the cold was getting tedious, and she wouldn't last long without any food.

Korra cried out in her sleep again; the cry strangled and panicked. She curled herself into another ball, and her breath came in straining pants. More sweat formed over her for brows.

"Dad," She whimpered, "You've - You have..."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably when she trailed off, her fingers gripped the dirt of the cave. She was shaking.

"I can't," she cried, "It's too - too strong. It'll destroy every..."

Naruto slowly stood up. She continued to tremble, and her teeth were gritted. Her panicked pants filled the cave, her face contorting into one of raw terror. Naruto didn't know her that well, but his best guess of what plagued her like this wasn't far-off. And he could only be filled with guilt as he watched her. Moving to kneel next to her, and not knowing what else to do, he rested his hand on her cheek with the hope that human contact would calm her.

To his surprise, it did. She took a slow, shaky breath, and her stiff shoulders relaxed. Her tense expression became relaxed, and her whimpers died away into exhausted sighs. He gently smoothed his hand across her cheek, momentarily distracted by their softness. His fingertips trailed down to her neck, across her chin, to the edge of her mouth - his eyes gliding as his hands did.

Naruto frowned before jerking his hand from her face,_ 'Idiot, good going on being a creep,'_ he scolded himself. Maybe Pervy Sage had rubbed off on him more than he'd liked to admit. She wanted to imprison him. To put in chains before he could bring Sasuke back. He couldn't allow himself to be deluded like this. She could never feel anything but distrust towards him, not after what he's done.

But as he gazed at her still, helpless form, he could not bring himself to care about their situational relationship. He allowed himself to look, his eyes tracing her features. The subtle upturn of her nose, the thick dark lashes rimming her eyes. The way her dark locks of hair curled at the end, framing her face. Her soft, full lips. She was beautiful, no doubt about it.

Her arms were dark and toned, strong from what was undoubtedly some form of training. He'd read on an old paper that she'd been taken from her home at a young age before she'd even left the tender years of childhood. He felt a pang of sympathy for her. He could relate to having a title forced on him to a more extreme degree. Fortunately for her, her title was quite positive. People looked up to her, at least that was the idea, and they trusted her.

Korra stirred, just slightly. But it wasn't the thrashing or whimpering of her nightmares. A moan slid from her lips, and her eyebrows furrowed before her eyelid slowly opened. Her blue eyes, misty and still filled with fever, roved the cave. They came to rest on him. With a raspy squeak, she jerked away.

"Hey, don't worry," he tried to relax her, resting a hand on her shoulder, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Y...You..."

"Relax. You've been sick. Here," Naruto turned, reaching for the odd fox-rabbit animal roasting over the fire. He took a small strip off it, lifting the meat to her lips. Her tongue shot out, gliding over her lips. Her eyes met his, uncertainty filling them. Naruto offered an assuring smile, before reaching out with his other hand, propping her up so she could take the food, "Don't eat too fast, you haven't had anything in two days. It'll upset your stomach."

Korra reached up with a trembling hand and took the meat, chewing it with a quaking jaw. She looked up at him again, the question evident in her eyes, but he already had another piece for her, pressing it into her hand.

"Th-thank you..." She managed. She ate the meat, a bit at the time. Then, even though it was clear she wanted more, he laid her back down.

"You can have more later. Just give it a bit of time."

She nodded, a flicker of pain dance across her brow, "What happened?" she whispered.

"I don't know. You were unconscious when I found you," The last Uzumaki admitted, grazing his fingers against her forehead. It was a bit cooler than before, "Your fevers dropped a little. Here," He raised a canteen to her lips, accidentally slopping a little over her jaw. Korra sputtered for a moment, then guzzled the water with greedy intensity. She'd nearly drained half the canteen when Naruto pulled away, re-stopping the lid. Her eyes fluttered closed once more, and she took a long breath.

When they opened again, they were full of confusion and suspicion. Korra whispered, "Why are you doing this? Why help me?"

There was no thought to it when Naruto brushed a sweaty lock of hair away from her face. The tender gesture caught her by surprise, deriving more confusion to the Avatars gaze, "Why'd you save me?" he shot back. It was odd to him. The amount of hatred she'd shown him on their previous encounter, heck, even the one that got them into this mess pointed towards her wanting him off the face of the planet. But then, she'd still saved him when the opportunity presented itself...

A flicker of recognition passed his features. Was this how it felt to be on the other end of this?... Being saved by a person, you perceived as being someone who wanted nothing more than to destroy you?

"I don't know," Came her soft answer, her eyelids closing again, "I think... Aang told me to."

Naruto frowned at the answer. Aang was the Avatar before her. He didn't understand how the whole spirits and reincarnation thing worked, but wasn't he supposed to be dead? So, therefore, he shouldn't be able to talk to her? Shaking his head and giving up on trying to understand how things worked here, he tried to stand up. But before he could get to his feet, she attempted to reach for his wrist. Though slow, it was enough to stop him.

"Don't go."

When his gaze did set on her, she was nearing the depths of sleep, and her hand had fallen, close to his own. Her laboured breathing fluttered the hair beside her face, and he found his gazing trailing down to her locks as they spilt across the cave floor. Her ponytail had come undone sometime during her feverish sleep, and her hair gleamed in the light of the fire.

His gaze went over the rest of her. She was strong, and her lithe curves probably brought many males swooning at her feet. Combined with her mocha complexion, fierce blue eyes and strong spirit... Naruto had to stop himself from shouting 'Pervy Sage', because, for some reason, the voice in his head was the sannin himself. With a sad smile, he carefully slid beside her, careful not to hurt his thigh. They did it before; it shouldn't matter now. It made sense for them to share body heat than to curl up on random corners of a cold cave.

Unsure with what to do with his hand, he rested it gently on her hip. At the touch, she stretched and slowly rolled over, nestling against him, her head tucking up just under his chin. Conflicted thoughts ran through his mind. A small sigh slid from her parted lips, triggering an odd quiver somewhere deep in his abdomen. For a moment, he wondered if he ought to move away. But just as they had when he saved her, her hands curled into the fabric of his shirt - her warm breath continuing to tickle his neck.

Naruto could hear his late sensei praising him in his head, and strangely, he felt proud of himself. He never expected his first time laying with a girl like this or like he had a few days ago to be like. And he'd never imagined it would be with someone who'd seemed bent on taking him down every time they encountered each other. He always thought it would be with Sakura, especially with how receptive the pinkette had become of his advances as of recently.

Korra sighed, relaxing even more closely to him, and murmuring something into his chest. He couldn't make out the words, but her tone was soft. Nowhere near the usual rough, angry and suspicious voice, she used when speaking to him. He could feel her heartbeat, warm and regular, against his ribs. A part of him told him that he should be careful with this. That it wouldn't end well.

Another part, the one that encouraged his actions, the one he usually listened to, compelled him to lift his arm up and over her, curling it around her shoulder blades. He closed his eyes and finally felt himself slip into fatigue. No, there wasn't anything to be careful of. There was nothing that wouldn't end well. They were simply two people -a man and a woman, coming together for warmth.

He let that simple thought lull him into the darkness of exhaustion.

* * *

**A/N: That's the fourth chapter.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Not beta'd. There will be mistakes.**

"Normal Speech"

_Human thoughts._

_"Inner... Voices?"_

**"Bijuu Speaking"**

**_'Bijuu thoughts'_**

* * *

There's something deeply intimate about two people sleeping together without physical intimacy. There is an unspoken trust, a shared need for warmth and security, that permeates the consciousness, deepens the connection, whether the two wish it to be increased or not. For the second time in four days, Korra woke up in _his_ arms. In the arms of a boy, she didn't know the name of, a boy she was supposed to hate.

At first, it took her a few moments to remember where she was. She could hear his deep, steady breaths and light snoring behind her, shifting the hair on the back of her head. Something fluttered in her stomach, a not so foreign and pleasant feeling, one she could not precisely place where she had felt before this. Korra shifted in his embrace, turning so that she faced him.

One of his arms was curled beneath her head, cushioning her from the hard ground. The other was draped around her waist, a warm, almost comforting weight. His eyes were closed peacefully. The parts of his hair that did not touch the ground hung in the dark, the spiky blond hair grazing his eyebrows. With a hesitant and slightly shaky hand, Korra lifted her fingers to brush the hair away from his face.

She paused. His breathing did not change. It remained even and unaware. Curiosity peaked inside of her. Careful not to move too suddenly, she let her hand travel to his stomach, finding the hem of his t-shirt. She wanted to see them again — the strange markings on his abdomen. But with one side of the shirt pressed underneath his body weight, she doubted she could pull it up without waking him.

Before she could retract her hand, his hand shout up, the fingers tightening around her wrist. Korra let out a tiny yelp of surprise. His blue eyes bore into her, full and confused. Korra gulped. She lay there, frozen for a tense moment. She could feel her pulse drumming against his palm. She knew he could feel her fear, thundering in her veins. She tried to pull back, but his grip was true.

They stared at each other, still as statues. Then Korra found something in his gaze. Something vulnerable. She curled her fingers around his own when his grip on her wrist released and squeezed his hand. Her heart still thudded in her chest, but her confidence slowly returned. Her blue eyes beseeched his, searching for purchase. His eyes held hers for a tense moment.

Then he released her hand, his own moving to the hem of his shirt. He shifted when he lifted his shirt, and Korra used her fingers to conjure a small flame so she could see better - it was day, but the cave was a bit dark. But when her eyes fell to his stomach, there were no markings, just like when he had removed his shirt to dry on their first day here. Korra lifted her eyes to his once more. They were shut. Clenched.

Her gaze descended again, in time to catch the markings appearing out of nowhere. There was a thick swirling line around his belly button and circular symbols surrounding it, which extended out into more symbols - eight more, that stood out from the rest.

"What are they?" She whispered to him. They intrigued her, even when she first saw him and tried to capture him. The symbols seemed ceremonial in nature, and it made her wonder if they were connected to that monster.

His eyes held hers for one tense moment. Did they look... worried? Then, slow as melting ice, he released a breath, "It's a seal that holds the Nine-tailed fox inside me — a tailed beast. A beast so powerful it could wipe out an entire planet in its wraith... Or... It's what you saw that day. When all those people..." He drawled, her eyes widened, but he continued, "I... I can't control it. What you saw that day, that wasn't me. Every time I lose myself to my emotions. It takes advantage of me. Once I'm in too deep, stopping it... It's hard, and it hurts me too... It's my fault. I'm sorry about that."

If he had told her this a few days ago, she wouldn't have believed a word that left his mouth; now, she silently debated whether he was truthful or not. And that scared her. Korra slowly lifted her hand to his stomach again, and again, his own reached up to catch hers.

"This," Korra said quietly, referring to the seal, "Suppresses something that powerful? That... evil?" He said nothing, and only held her gaze, "Did someone force this on you?" She murmured. He slowly shook his head, not releasing her hand. For a long, still bit, neither of them spoke. The only sounds in the cave being their breathing and the strong winds entering through the small lined peep over the stone wall that enclosed the cave entrance. Korra closed her fingers around his, absentmindedly intertwining her fingers with his own again.

"My father put it in me... But he didn't have a choice. It had to be contained to save my home. He and my mom died, sealing it. They're heroes," he explained. His voice was soft, but there was a strange hint of anger to it. Korra tightened her fingers in his, and he held them, almost like a lifeline, "It all happened on the night I was born. A man set it off on my village and forced my father's hand. But since I grew up with the beast sealed inside of me, people saw me as it instead of my self. I was an orphan, and everyone hated me for what I held.

She could. His childhood was rough, besides the fact that he was an orphan - growing up with everyone else treating him as if he didn't belong, must have made it a lot worse, "I'm sorry... The people that treated you like that based off assumption don't deserve you."

"Isn't that what you've been doing, Korra?" Her heart fluttered at the sound of her name. The way he'd said, it didn't sound like he was angry with. It sounded like he had already forgiven her, that all the things she's said and done to him didn't matter - and that right now, she was precious to him. But the flutter was wholly enveloped by guilt. The guilt of treating him the way she did without trying to find out the circumstances, the guilt of the situation knew she was about to find herself in.

It was coming, she didn't know how she knew, but it seemed imminent, "I don't know," Her voice was quieter this time, "I... I was just trying to do the right thing. I..."

"It's alright," He was smiling, "The right thing is all I've been trying to do."

Then, as she had seen it coming, he pulled her closer. _Forgive me,_ was the thought that came to her mind when his lips found hers. Korra banished those thoughts when she returned the kiss, hesitantly and slowly. His lips were soft and unsurprisingly gentle, and at her reciprocation, he deepened the kiss with more passion than she could've imagined possible.

Korra gasped, a sudden fire igniting within her. She wound her fingers into his hair, pulling his head down and tipping her head back to deepen it further. She felt his arms trail down her waist, curling around the small of her back, pressing her into him. Her heart threatened to pound its way out of her chest. Finally, when the heat nearly trailed all the way to her waist; she broke the kiss and pushed away from him.

His blue eyes were as wide as hers, but he had a smile on his lips. She could hear, and feel, his breath, ragged and excited. His racing pulse matched hers. For a tense moment, neither of them spoke. They just looked at each other. She loved and hated what she found in his eyes. She felt his arms curl around her waist again, pressing her close. Her arms, trapped between them, moved to twist her fingers into his shirt. Her heart beat like a trapped butterfly-sparrow.

Korra didn't resist when he took her mouth the second time. A hand fisted in his shirt, while the other was spread flat against his collarbone. Suddenly, the ground wasn't so hard anymore. She was on top of him, legs spread over his waist, and the only alert her body gave her of her sudden move was the headache returning. But she tried to ignore it. Their hands met, and she intertwined them before pinning them on the ground near his head.

There was no tongue, but it still felt just as passionate. She felt something deep within her, reacting to the passion of his kiss. Then, between her spread legs, she felt _something_ else. It was only for a moment, however, before she was on the floor again and his presence away from her.

He was near the mouth of the cave, facing away from her with his fists clenched and staring at the floor. Korra's heart pounded, as the realisation returned, stronger this time. What had she just done?! She'd kissed an enemy, the boy responsible for so many deaths, a boy that Aang said would be her doom. Her lips tingled, every heartbeat sending a fire coursing through her.

"I'm sorry," His voice broke through the silence,"I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have done that."

"I should be saying sorry," Korra said, "I kissed you back."

Another long, tense moment of quiet. Then, he raised his hands to the front of his face and did those odd hand movements, and the wall protecting them from the cold collapsed, "I'm going hunting," he said, his voice nervous and regretful, "For the last time, cause... Uh, I think we should get going soon. Just rest for now."

Korra swallowed, "I won't be going anywhere. Don't worry."

He shrugged, making his way out the cave. He didn't limp, she noticed. That was impossible. There was no way the gash had already healed... A low groan formed on her lips. Watching him leave, she tried to summon the hate and the mild fear she felt towards him before this all. Maybe he was lying... Maybe there was no monster he couldn't control. Mayhap _he _was the monster, trying to take her apart emotionally, piece by piece.

But all she could muster now was a sense of deep empathy. He hadn't been playing her. The pain and vulnerability in his eyes had been glaringly real. There was no that had been a farce.

Korra shivered. Was that what she was going to tell Republic city? Was that what she was going to say to the people in the village that... nine-tailed fox attacked? Something told her they wouldn't accept any explanations. Naruto's story wouldn't make them feel differently. Understandably so, they had lost some of their families and friends. They would have every right to hate him regardless.

The cave entrance was closed off again by him.

Korra shivered again, a painful realisation dawning on her. Yes, he was going to be her doom.

But most certainly not in the way she had imagined.

* * *

**A/N: That's chapter five. Sorry for not updating in a bit.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Not beta'd. There will be mistakes.**

"Normal Speech"

_Human thoughts._

_"Inner... Voices?"_

**"Bijuu Speaking"**

**_'Bijuu thoughts'_**

* * *

He didn't return for a long time. Far longer than was necessary for a simple hunting trip. Korra found herself pacing, antsy and ridden with conflicting emotions. The patter of the rain outside grated across her nerves. When she finally heard the wall at the mouth of the cave collapse, she jerked her head up, relief flooding her.

"You're back!" Her voice sounded far too delighted. He looked at her confused, entering the cave and sealing the entrance again. Korra cleared her throat, dropping her eyes to her boots, "I mean... took you long enough. I'm starving."

"Geez, you'd think she'd be a little grateful," He grumbled, stopping to deposit his catch beside the fire she had started: two plump fox-rabbits. Korra felt her mouth water just looking at them. She moved to pick one up by a furry hind.

"I'll cook these," She offered, desperate for something to do.

For a moment, he looked like he might object, but seemed to second thought whatever he wanted to say. His shirt was soaked, and his sun coloured hair stuck to the headband he always wore but for when he slept. He nodded once and moved to the far wall of the cave, stripping off his shirt and pants to set it down to dry by the fire. Korra jerked her gaze away; she couldn't let this go on any more than it already had. She could feel the tension between them, thick as stone.

She took a deep breath and forced the unnerving feelings away. There was no time for that here. Not now, not anytime. She had a job to do. With deft fingers, she skinned the fox-rabbit and spat it with the blackened fire stick. She placed the little animal over the fire on the two forked sticks, turning it slowly and watching as the brown travelled over the cooking meat.

Her attention returned to him again when he set his shirt and pants near the flames and sat down next to them. He shivered slightly, which would've been barely noticeable to someone who wasn't paying attention, but she was. His legs were crossed, and she noted the particular lack of bloody bandage over his thigh. Though, she also noted the dripping blood from the hand hanging off his knee.

She spoke without thinking, "I can heal that, you know."

He glanced up at her, eyes narrowing for a moment before he followed her gaze to his hand, "Oh, you don't have to do that. It's just a bite. It'll heal pretty quickly."

"It would be pretty easy. I learned from Sifu Katara, the greatest healer in the South Pole."

"I said it's fine."

Korra felt like she'd just been slapped. Forgetting the cooking fox-rabbit, she whirled on him but paused when she saw the look he gave her. It was as if he expected an angry retort from her, like the ones she'd always sent his way before all this. Thinking about it now, she could only feel guilt. He had taken all the harsh words she and everyone else had thrown at him, at one point he even apologised, but they'd been too blinded by their fury to consider it sincere.

Leaving the roasting fox-rabbit at the fire, she stood and walked over to him - his eyes following her all the way. She kneeled at his side. Without waiting for permission, she grasped his arm, turning it so that it rested against her knee.

"Trust me, tough guy," She said, her voice softer than before, "You'll thank me later."

He didn't pull away. Korra drew the water from his clothes and gathered it in a small, hovering pool just above his arm. His eyes widened, and he stared at the water for a moment before his gaze slowly shifted to his clothes on the floor, and he outstretched his other hand. After feeling them for a moment, he turned back to her with a confused expression.

"Uh... Why didn't you do that a moment ago... To dry my clothes like you just did?"

His question made her own eyes widen. He was right; why didn't she? Her expression contorted into a frown. Why hadn't she done so? The only answer she could come up with was that she simply forgot. She must've been too deep in thought to even consider it, "I don't know," he was still staring at her confusedly when she lowered the healing water to his palm with careful gentleness. He gasped lightly.

It looked like a bite from one of the fox-rabbits: not a very deep one, but enough to draw out quite a bit of blood. Working with practised movements, she let the water slide of the bite, seeping through the lesions in the skin and filling the bloodied cracks. The scabs softened, the blood thinning. She heard him exhale softly. and the skin began to smooth over, the cuts and abrasions closing, knitting together.

Finally, Korra removed the water, letting it fall to the ground in a puddle a few feet away. His palm looked good as new.

"Well," Korra said, setting her hands to her knees and heaving herself to her feet, "I hope that didn't damage your spotless tough guy record. I just don't like watching another human being suffer."

She walked back to the fire, kneeling again to turn the roasting fox-rabbit. A long moment passed, and as if only just remembering his clothes were dry, he got up and started dressing. There was still red on his orange pants where the gash on his thigh had been.

"Thanks," His voice drew her attention to him again. He had a grin plastered on his face.

"You're welcome," She responded.

The silence stretched as she finished cooking the three-game animals. Rising to her feet, Korra scooped the still steaming meat up into her arms and carried over to him. She dropped the larger of the two fox-rabbits on his lap.

"This one yours. Enjoy," She turned to go, but his hand reached out and caught her wrist. Korra looked down, alarm coursing through her, "What?" She snapped.

"Nothing has changed," He said, a serious expression adorning his features, "Remember that. It doesn't matter what you learned. Once we leave this place, I go back to being a murderer and your enemy. When we leave here, if we meet again, show me no mercy just as you did the times before. And I'll kick you back. Just as I've done before."

Korra's heart sputtered a little, but she swallowed back the unease and gave him a serious look of her own, "Why would I show you any mercy?" She argued, "I saved your life because it was the-"

"It's not about that," his eyes narrowed.

She knew it wasn't. Her attempt at seriousness collapsed, "It doesn't have to be that way. Maybe if we tried to -"

"Explain?" He smiled at her, "That wouldn't go very well for _you_. You'd be taking my side, and to them, sprouting baseless nonsense. I think, at the end of the day, we have no way to prove that it was an 'accident'. They'd probably believe I just wanted to escape justice, and you'd go down the gutter for even considering me innocent... Too many people died, and even if we proved it was an accident, I think I'd be taken in regardless."

Korra sat down next to him with a sigh, she might as well talk to him while her own food cooked. He was right. All those people, all those families who lost loved ones that fateful day, they would never forgive him. Even if they did come to believe his story... _When did I start believing it without a doubt?_ She closed her eyes when the question sprung up into her mind.

"Besides," She turned back to him, he was still smiling, "I plan on turning myself in. Soon. Those families need some sort of closure, and to some extent, I do too."

"The village was fire nation," She whispered, "It would be up to them to decide what happens to you. They... would execute you, no doubt."

"Well, I can't fight them on that."

"You could at least try!" Korra exploded, "Why should you be punished for that _things_ doings? Why must you suffer for something it did? If we could make them see that the fox has its sentience, and is capable of overpowering that seal you talked -"

"It would still be my fault, Korra. Why did I let my anger get the better of me knowing full well what it could entail, especially for the people around me? No. I can't be the cause of more pain for people," he stuck a piece of meat into a mouth, chewing and letting the silence stretch before continuing, "I know I brought you a lot of grief and pain, too. I could see it, in the way you always attacked. You hated me."

"I didn't -"

"You did. But I didn't blame you, and still, don't. I saw all those articles, heard all those radios. Some people were pointing their fingers at you, questioning where you were when they needed you most. Some of them even went as far as saying it only happened because I took advantage of your usual vacancy of any other place that isn't Republic City, so therefore it was 'all the avatars fault.' That hit you hard, I could feel it in the earth you sent towards me, the fire you conjured to burn me... everything."

Korra lowered her eyes to the floor - the now etching quiet ringing in her ears. She could feel her chest shaking, but bit back the sobs that threatened to escape. His words brought back the memories of the nights she would cry herself to sleep, screaming in her head that she didn't deserve to be the avatar. Where she would agree with some of the articles, and blame herself for the deaths of all of those people. She felt her eyes wettening.

A soft touch against her cheek made her jump, her gaze flying upwards. He was kneeling in front of her, just next to the fire and he had his hand lifted to her cheek. His food seemed forgot on the floor, "I-... I want you to look me in the eye and hear the sincerity of my words. I am sorry for the pain I've caused you, and the pain you might have to endure before I turn myself in. I would never purposely let anyone go through that. Especially you, now."

Korra looked back down. What was she supposed to say to that? _It's fine? It's okay?_ Was it even okay for her to say what she had to him in his own defence?

"And I'm sorry for what I'm about to do... I think it'll be the last one," His hand slid down to her jaw, lifting her head to him. Korra felt her lips tingle as he drew her forward. This kiss was impossibly stronger than the two before. Raw passion shimmered in her veins, and she lurched forward, her hands finding his collar and edging him lightly on top of her.

Though, he didn't seem to like that position and turned over so she was atop him. His arms trailed around her waist, drawing her into his chest. She melted into him, feeling their lips moving as one, his breath in her mouth sending coils of fire shivering in her stomach. Her mind left her in a rush, and she had no thoughts, there was only him, and this movement.

His lips broke off hers, moving down to close on the hollow of her throat. She gasped, shuddering against him.

"We shouldn't -" She rasped, but a light moan escaping her lips interrupted her speech for a moment, "Be doing this."

He stopped kissing, enticing her to pull away, "You're right. We shouldn't," he shifted her off him, standing up as soon as the weight of her body wasn't on him - and edging towards the blocked cave entrance. Guilt began to seep into her.

"I didn't mean -"

"Don't worry," he turned half his face to her, showing her part of his grin, "It might be the last time we see each other for a while. And I don't think the next time will be favourable, guessing by what we spoke about here. I said I'll turn myself in _soon_. Don't take what's about to happen here as me going back on my word. There are a few things I need to do first. But after, I'll come back and do as I promised."

"What are you talking-"

"Oh," he interrupted her again, and she felt her frustration growing, "And my name, is Naruto Uzumaki."

"Naruto..." She muttered.

Just as she said that, before she could utter another word, the wall blocking the cave broke off - cables shooting through the gathering dust immediately.

Then he was gone.

* * *

**A/N: This is the end.**

** I know there are still some things left unanswered. As I said at the beginning of the story, this is just the first part of what I have planned. More will be explained in the second part. The first chapter will be up... Soon.**

**Thanks for reading.**


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